Systems and methods for removing and replacing conductive adhesive layers of an electrode array

Abstract

An apparatus can include a subassembly having one or more electrode elements, each electrode element having a skin-facing side and a skin-facing surface. The apparatus can further comprise a skin contact layer comprising a conductive adhesive. The skin contact layer can be coupled to the subassembly and can be disposed on the skin-facing side of the electrode elements. The conductive adhesive is electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to contact skin of a subject. At least a portion of the skin contact layer is selectively removable from the subassembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a subassembly comprising at least one electrode element having a skin-facing side and a skin-facing surface; and   a plurality of layers comprising conductive adhesive, wherein the plurality of layers comprise an outermost layer that forms a skin contact layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the at least one electrode element and the skin contact layer, wherein the skin contact layer is coupled to the at least one intermediate layer, and wherein the skin contact layer is configured to be decoupled from the at least one intermediate layer, wherein the skin contact layer is electrically coupled to the subassembly and is disposed on the skin-facing side of the at least one electrode element, wherein the skin contact layer is electrically coupled to the electrode and configured to contact skin of a subject, and wherein at least a portion of the skin contact layer is selectively removable from the at least one intermediate layer, wherein, upon decoupling the skin contact layer from the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one intermediate layer is configured to form an outermost skin contact layer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first adhesive that couples the skin contact layer to the subassembly. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the subassembly further comprises a layer of anisotropic material having a skin-facing side with a skin-facing surface and an opposing outwardly facing surface, wherein the at least one electrode element is in electrical contact with the outwardly facing surface of the layer of anisotropic material, and wherein the skin contact layer is disposed on the skin-facing side of the layer of anisotropic material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the skin contact layer is part of a two-layer unit or a three-layer unit, wherein the two-layer unit comprises a layer of anisotropic material and a skin contact layer; and the three-layer unit comprises a layer of conductive material, a layer of anisotropic material, and a skin contact layer. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a conductive adhesive composite. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a dielectric material and conductive particles dispersed within the dielectric material, wherein the conductive particles comprise carbon flakes, carbon granules, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon black powder, graphite powder, carbon nanowires, carbon microcoils, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 coupling, to a subassembly comprising at least one electrode element having a skin-facing side and a skin-facing surface and a pre-existing skin contact layer, a skin contact layer comprising a conductive adhesive so that the skin contact layer is disposed on the skin-facing side of the at least one electrode element, wherein coupling the skin contact layer to the subassembly comprises coupling the skin contact layer to the pre-existing skin contact layer.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the subassembly further comprises a first adhesive that couples the skin contact layer to the subassembly. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the subassembly further comprises a layer of anisotropic material having a skin-facing side with a skin-facing surface and an opposing outwardly facing surface, wherein the at least one electrode element is in electrical contact with the outwardly facing surface of the layer of anisotropic material, and wherein the coupling comprises coupling the skin contact layer to the subassembly so that the skin contact layer is disposed on the skin-facing side of the layer of anisotropic material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a conductive adhesive composite. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the pre-existing skin contact layer comprises a conductive adhesive composite. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the skin contact layer is part of a two-layer unit or a three-layer unit, wherein the two-layer unit comprises a layer of anisotropic material and a skin contact layer; and the three-layer unit comprises a layer of conductive material, a layer of anisotropic material, and a skin contact layer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a dielectric material and conductive particles dispersed within the dielectric material, wherein the conductive particles comprise carbon flakes, carbon granules, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon black powder, graphite powder, carbon nanowires, carbon microcoils, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 removing a skin contact layer from an assembly, the assembly comprising:
 at least one electrode element having a skin-facing surface; and 
 a plurality of layers of conductive adhesive comprising:
 an outermost conductive adhesive layer that defines the skin contact layer; and 
 at least one intermediate layer disposed between the at least one electrode element and the skin contact layer, 
 
   wherein removing the skin contact layer from the assembly comprises removing the skin contact layer from the at least one intermediate layer, thereby exposing the at least one intermediate layer to define a new skin contact layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one intermediate layer comprises a plurality of intermediate layers that are configured to sequentially form the outermost skin contact layer upon separation of respective adjacent outermost layers of conductive adhesive of the plurality of layers of conductive adhesive from the assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the assembly further comprises a layer of anisotropic material having a skin-facing side with a skin-facing surface and an opposing outwardly facing surface, wherein the at least one electrode element is in electrical contact with the outwardly facing surface of the layer of anisotropic material, and wherein the skin contact layer is disposed on the skin-facing side of the layer of anisotropic material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein removing the skin contact layer from the assembly comprises removing a two-layer unit or a three-layer unit from the assembly, wherein the two-layer unit comprises a layer of anisotropic material and a skin contact layer; and the three-layer unit comprises a layer of conductive material, a layer of anisotropic material, and a skin contact layer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a conductive adhesive composite. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein, following the step of removing the skin contact layer from the assembly, the method further comprises adding a new skin contact layer comprising a conductive adhesive composite. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the skin contact layer comprises a dielectric material and conductive particles dispersed within the dielectric material, wherein the conductive particles comprise carbon flakes, carbon granules, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, single-walled carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon black powder, graphite powder, carbon nanowires, carbon microcoils, or any combination thereof.